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Mechanical Engineering MSE

Contact Mechanical Engineering Admissions

Rachael Clarke, ME Graduate Admissions Coordinator
Rachael Clarke

Graduate Programs Coordinator

Don Siegel Mechanical Engineering Graduate Program Chair
Don Siegle

Associate Chair for Graduate Education

Mechanical Engineering at Michigan Statistics

Mechanical Engineering research

No. 5

- US News 2020

150+

years as a department

$35M+

spent on research in 2019

M-City

autonomous vehicle test track

84K

Average starting salary for ME Master’s graduates

16K

living ME alumni

Why should you get a master’s in Mechanical Engineering at Michigan?

The U-M Mechanical Engineering Department is consistently ranked among the top five ME Graduate Programs by U.S. News and World Report.

This is a reflection of our multidisciplinary approach, which balances trend-setting research, challenging coursework, and real-world impact. We are well-positioned to continue our global leadership over the next decade. According to the National Science Foundation, the University was recently ranked #1 in research volume among U.S. public universities. The University’s annual research budget of $1.62 billion is a testament to the wide range of interdisciplinary programs underway among our many highly-ranked departments: Michigan has 100 graduate programs ranked in the top 10. Last year our department’s research expenditures exceeded $35 million. 

Margaret Wooldridge and her students
research chamber

What can you do with an MSE in Mechanical Engineering?

Students choose to pursue a master’s degree because of the opportunity to develop a personalized academic program to strengthen their knowledge of ME fundamentals in a specific area.

Research areas include automotive, biomechanics and biosystems, controls, design, dynamics and vibrations, energy, fluids, manufacturing, mechanics and materials, mechatronics, robotics, micro/nano engineering, multi-scale computation and computational mechanics, and thermal sciences.

“Mechanical Engineering at Michigan is one of the best places in the world to be if you desire to engage in creative solutions that improve the quality of life and make the world safer, better, and cleaner.” – Ellen Arruda, Tim Manganello/BorgWarner Department Chair

Mechanical engineering project to help a child with a soccer apperatis for his wheelchair
Mechanical engineering students helping a woman with a robotic leg

Courses Offered

Individualized plans of study will be developed by students in consultation with an advisor. There are three MSE degree program options in ME: (1) coursework only, (2) coursework with an individual research project, and (3) coursework with an MSE thesis. The MSE program offers the student considerable flexibility so that courses can be utilized to meet the student’s individual educational and professional goals. Refer to the Bulletin for a full list of course descriptions.

student notes
students sketching a project

Sequential Undergraduate/Graduate Studies Program (SUGS)

Current University of Michigan engineering students can complete your bachelor’s and master’s degree in only five years with SUGS. Take graduate-level classes during the U-M ME undergraduate program that can be used towards your graduate degree.

Class project helping a child with sports

Practice Your Purpose

There is a rich variety of experiential learning opportunities to help you find your niche, connect with people who share your passion, and gain hands-on experience that’ll set your resumé apart from the stack.

Graduate Student Involvement

American Society of Manufacturing Engineers logo
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)

American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)

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Mechanical Engineering Graduate Council logo
Pi Tau Sigma (PTS)- Mechanical Engineering Honors Society

Pi Tau Sigma (PTS)- Mechanical Engineering Honors Society

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Pi Tau Sigma organization logo
Mechanical Engineering Graduate Council

Mechanical Engineering Graduate Council

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Professional Development

resume and career week
Department Career Resources

Department Career Resources

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Mechanical engineering career week
Engineering Career Resource Center (ECRC)

Engineering Career Resource Center (ECRC)

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Michigan Engineering Career fair and TBP
Tau Beta Pi

Tau Beta Pi

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student organization meeting
Society of Mechanical Engineers (SME)

Society of Mechanical Engineers (SME)

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Mechanical engineering career week
Society of Women Engineers (SWE)

Society of Women Engineers (SWE)

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Mechanical Engineering Research

3D printing of a finger
Biomechanics & Biosystems Engineering

Biomechanics & Biosystems Engineering

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manufacturing simulation
Control
Design
Mechanical engineering vibrations research
Dynamics & Vibration

Dynamics & Vibration

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Virtual reality den located in the Duderstadt Center
Energy
Fluids
Manufacturing

Manufacturing

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oregami shapes and structures
Mechanics & Materials

Mechanics & Materials

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Roboticists working on a robotic leg
Mechatronics & Robotics

Mechatronics & Robotics

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Mechanical engineering micro and nano research
Micro/Nano Engineering

Micro/Nano Engineering

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Mcity autonomous vehicle on Mcity track
Mobility, Automotive, and Transportation

Mobility, Automotive, and Transportation

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Mechanical engineering multi-scale research
Multi-scale Computation

Multi-scale Computation

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Materials research
Thermal Sciences

Thermal Sciences

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Research Videos

Alumni Bios

Each of these alumni were once in your shoes, deciding on a master’s degree. Explore their educational path and how it set their life in motion.

Image of Andre Douglas

Andre Douglas

MSE Mechanical Engineering, 2012; MSE Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, 2012

John Hopkins University

Section Supervisor, Applied Physics Lab

Image of Heather Sullivan

Heather Sullivan

MBA, 1998

Johnson Electric North America

Head of Supply Chain Services

Image of Dieon Roger

Dieon Roger

MEng Systems Engineering and Design, 2017; MSE Mechanical Engineering, 2018

Google LLC

Product Quality Engineer

Image of Harinath Atmaram

Harinath Atmaram

MSE Mechanical Engineering, 2002

General Motors Company

Senior Project Engineer

Image of Jack Liu

Jack Liu

MSE Mechanical Engineering, 2018

University of Notre Dame

Graduate Student Research Assistant

Image of Jason Quint

Jason Quint

Master of Supply Chain Management, 2014; MSE Mechanical Engineering, 2015

Rivian Automotive

UX Designer

Image of John Papin

John Papin

Master of Science Mechanical Engineering, 1988

Nexans

Vice President Operational Excellence

Image of Kevin Pakravan

Kevin Pakravan

MSE Mechanical Engineering, 2004

Yazaki North America

Senior Engineer, EV Systems

Image of Rob Self

Rob Self

MS Mechanical Engineering, 2016

Ford Automotive Company

Performance Vehicle Dynamics Engineer

Image of Rui Fang

Rui Fang

MSE Mechanical Engineering, 2012

BMW Group

Computer Engineering Team Leader

Image of Andre Douglas

Andre Douglas

US Coast Guard Academy, BS Mechanical Engineering 2008 

U-M, MSE Mechanical Engineering 2012

U-M, MSE Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering 2012

The John Hopkins University, MS Electrical and Computer Engineering 2019

The George Washington University , PhD Systems Engineering 2020

John Hopkins University

Section Supervisor, Applied Physics Lab

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Career Summary

After serving on an operational Coast Guard Cutter, I rededicated myself to pursuing my technical education and accepted a position in the USCG Marine Engineering Post Graduate Program, where I attended the University of Michigan and earned dual Master of Science degrees in Naval Architecture and Mechanical Engineering in 2012. From there, I served at the Coast Guard Marine Safety Center (MSC) in Arlington, VA on the Coast Guard’s elite Salvage Engineering Response Team, a group of highly trained naval architects who stand ready 24-hours a day to support Coast Guard field commanders responding to emergent vessel casualty situations following groundings, collisions, and similar casualties. I combined my strengths and passion to pursue technology when I chose to begin my civilian career at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab (JHU/APL) in 2015. During my first year at JHU/APL, I developed an autonomous unmanned surface platform with a revolutionary underwater localization technology to support our submarine force. With a diverse background in applying knowledge to develop live ocean systems and maritime solutions, I earned a promotion to Section Supervisor at the Lab, and I am one of the Lab’s subject matter experts in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering.

How does your Master’s degree differentiate you from others?

My degree enabled me to contribute higher on a technical level having received exposure to various technical concepts covered Michigan’s program. Understanding non-linear behavior in fundamental processes, tackling problems in design optimization, and working in teams during group projects all contributed to my ability to take vague and not very well defined problems and develop novel solutions or insights when collaborating with others.

Reflection on Time Spent at U-M

I am a big fan of FIRST Robotics competitions and mentoring youth. I am not interested in solving easy problems, as I believe we can always push ourselves to reach our true potential. My advice to students would be to tackle your coursework and projects with an open mind because there is usually a piece of an assignment or experience that you can leverage in the future for your career.

Image of Heather Sullivan

Heather Sullivan

University of Michigan, BSE Mechanical Engineering, 1991 

University of Michigan, BSE Mechanical Engineering, 1993

University of Michigan, MBA, 1998

Johnson Electric North America

Head of Supply Chain Services

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Career Summary

After earning my Master’s in mechanical engineering, I joined the Ford College Graduate program.  I rotated through several different departments for 2 years, then started a position as an Advanced Safety Engineer and started pursuing an MBA through the evening program at U-M.  After 3 years, I joined Chrysler as a Supplier Quality Engineer.  I worked at Chrysler for 12 years in Supplier Quality, Engineering, and Purchasing, rising to the level of Sr. Manager responsible for Powertrain Procurement.  During the Chrysler bankruptcy, I took a buy-out offer and stayed home with my kids for 2 years.  Then I did part-time operations consulting with BBK for 2 years, then joined Akebono Brake Corporation as Purchasing Director.  After 3 years at Akebono, I joined Johnson Electric North America as Head of Supply Chain Services.

How does your Master’s degree differentiate you from others?

It’s very rare for candidates to have 2 masters degrees, so this helps me rise above other candidates for consideration.  That gets me the interview, then success depends on my work experiences and communication skills.

Advice to Students

Hard work and good grades will get your foot in the door, but promotional opportunities will depend on your ability to create positive working relationships.  It’s very important to have a good attitude at work and be enthusiastic about new opportunities.  Offer to help without expecting a promotion, and people will remember you in the future and will want you on their team.

Image of Dieon Roger

Dieon Roger

Mahatma Gandhi University, B.Tech Mechanical Engineering, 2016

University of Michigan, MEng Systems Engineering and Design, 2017

University of Michigan, MSE Mechanical Engineering, 2018

Google LLC

Product Quality Engineer

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Career Summary

I came to Michigan to pursue my Masters in Systems Engineering, since I was interested to learn more about designing complex products. However, Michigan’s quality of education and resources made available to students overwhelmed me to the extent that I had to pursue a dual degree in Mechanical engineering to make the best out of this opportunity. I got myself involved in various course related and hobby projects in addition to entrepreneurial activities. The courses and resources I had access to, across various schools at Michigan (Ross, CoE, Rackham, Stamps), helped me develop a broader understanding of product design and problem solving. Towards the end of my graduation, I had acquired a unique set of experiences and skills, which helped me land a job from Google.

How does your Master’s degree differentiate you from others?

Besides the technical knowledge, I was also able to acquire a lot of soft skills by pursuing a variety of courses. This helped me acquire an end-to-end perspective of problem solving, and helped me stand out in situations where soft skills had a more important role to play.

Reflection on Time Spent at U-M

My advice to students would be to make the best out of Michigan by getting involved in orgs/clubs or other activities where you are able to test and grow your passion while acquiring real-world experience. Healthy hustle through your college time will set you up for the future!

Image of Harinath Atmaram

Harinath Atmaram

University of Madras, BSE Mechanical Engineering, 2000

University of Michigan, MSE Mechanical Engineering, 2002

General Motors Company

Senior Project Engineer

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Career Summary

After completing their MSE, Atmaram went to become a Research Associate at Hitachi America, Ltd., where they worked in an Automotive R&D lab to develop mathematical models and algorithms for a mass air flow sensor.  They then moved on to work as an Associate Software Engineer at Bosch, where they primarily worked on developing and launching Tire Pressure Monitoring System, as well as working as a technical liaison to suppliers and customers.  Atmaram then transferred to General Motors, where they have had several prominent roles working in various research positions, notably in power transfer and testing of new and improved technologies.

Favorite Classes

ENGR 600- Engineering Practicum Projects (Very practical and useful), ME 458- Automotive Engineering, MATH 417- Linear Algebra

Image of Jack Liu

Jack Liu

Tianjin University, BE Mechanical Engineering, 2016 

University of Michigan, MSE Mechanical Engineering, 2018

University of Notre Dame, PhD Mechanical Engineering, 2024

University of Notre Dame

Graduate Student Research Assistant

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Career Summary

After finishing my masters at the University of Michigan, I worked at U-M for a year as a Research Assistant, where I switch from robotics to biomedical devices. After that, I continued to pursue my passion in Robotics at the University of Notre Dame.

How does your Master’s degree differentiate you from others?

Being a thesis based master’s student, pursuing and earning my masters allowed me to have extensive research experience and expertise in both robotics and research in general, which helped me stand out in research job applications as well as PhD position seeking.

Advice to Students

I enjoyed activities organized by ME department as well as CoE. My advice: time flies very fast during your masters, it is always worthwhile to follow your heart, try out different disciplines, and find out where your passion lies, while being excited, energized, and happy along the way. Enjoy the ride! It is going to be hard, but don’t forget to have fun!

Image of Jason Quint

Jason Quint

Cornell University, BS Mechanical Engineering, 2012 

University of Michigan, Master of Supply Chain Management, 2014 

University of Michigan, MSE Mechanical Engineering, 2015

Rivian Automotive

UX Designer

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Career Summary

For many years, three of my main interests have been engineering, user interface design, and cars.  As a graduate student at the University of Michigan, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to complete several academic research projects in the field of machine design.  After graduation, I began my career at Ford Motor Company as a User Experience (UX) Vehicle Harmony Engineer, a position which aligned with all three of my interests.  In this role, I conducted usability studies, wrote engineering requirements, and performed design verification for switches, chimes, and interior illumination in preproduction vehicles.  After a couple years, I decided to direct my career toward interaction design to broaden my skill set as a UX professional.  To that end, I spent about two and half years at Ford learning design techniques, such as writing user stories, creating wireframes, building interaction flows, and developing software prototypes.  I especially enjoyed the critical thinking and creativity associated with design work, and so I set out to obtain a full time position in this area.  In July 2019, I joined Rivian Automotive, where I currently work as a UX designer.

While I am no longer in an engineering role, my education at the University of Michigan College of Engineering continues to serve me well in a couple key ways.  First, it enables me to design with an eye towards technical feasibility.  I have a good sense of what the software engineers can build, I generally know what the questions are that I need to ask them, and I understand their technical responses.  Second, and more importantly, my education and experience at the University of Michigan gives me the confidence to pursue my career goals, even when they feel daunting!  As a student, I learned from my coursework and research projects how to bounce back from a bad grade or a failed experiment, to adjust my approach, and to ultimately achieve a successful outcome.  Over the past couple years, this resiliency has enabled me to weather several rejections and ultimately achieve my goal of becoming a designer.”

How does your Master’s degree differentiate you from others?

Above all else, the resiliency I developed during my masters degree has helped me stand out.

Reflection on Time Spent at U-M

Likes: Rigorous classes, challenging research projects.

Dislikes: One professor who didn’t post solutions to problem sets 

Advice to Students

Try to do at least one internship during your time as a masters student.  Your industry experience and connections will be especially valuable when you are trying to figure out what sort of job you want after graduation and will help you obtain that job.”

Image of John Papin

John Papin

Rochester Institute of Technology, Bachelors, 1984

University of Michigan, Master of Science Mechanical Engineering, 1988

Boston University Brussels Belgium Campus, Master of Science International Management

Nexans

Vice President Operational Excellence

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Career Summary

Manufacturing Engineer, Product Engineer, Plant Manager, Chief Manufacturing Engineer, Chief Product Engineer, Engineering Director at General Motors/Delphi, Global Product Development Process Improvement at Nestlé headquarters Vevey, Switzerland,  VP Global Operations Excellence at Nexans headquarters Paris, France. 

How does your Master’s degree differentiate you from others?

Graduating from a top program always helps, but the knowledge and confidence are what really make a difference.

Reflection on Time Spent at U-M

I enjoyed Michigan Rugby for lifelong camaraderie, friendships, and connections.  I also enjoy coaching and mentoring the next line of leaders as well as teaching an occasional class at the masters level.  However, my most rewarding experience was learning new languages, meeting people from very diverse cultures and creating a worldwide network of friends.

Image of Kevin Pakravan

Kevin Pakravan

University of Michigan, BSE Mechanical Engineering, 2003

University of Michigan, MSE Mechanical Engineering, 2004

Yazaki North America

Senior Engineer, EV Systems

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Career Summary

I started as CAE engineer in small consulting company, where I learned about setting independent daily objectives, taking ownership of a project, and writing comprehensive reports.  Next, I worked as application engineer in an additive manufacturing software sales office and learned about process improvement and customer facing interaction, as well as prioritization.  I had a brief stint at Ford, which was not a good experience, but ended at Yazaki, an automotive supplier, where I get to leverage a lot of the technical skills and tools to create new designs and give customers confidence.

How does your Master’s degree differentiate you from others?

I think a lot of people who graduate with a bachelor’s need a fair amount of hand-holding to accomplish typical engineering tasks, or have trouble creating a new template to solve a problem.  A master’s degree gives a potential employer more confidence that the individual has an innate interest in diving into difficult problems and working through them in an original way if needed.

Advice to Students

Often the work environment and management attitude can have a bigger impact on job satisfaction than the actual work you may be doing (though of course both are important).  If you are unhappy in your current situation, it’s worth it to evaluate whether it is the tasks or the people/environment that are making you feel that way.  Finally, in any new role, it takes some time to become competent and to feel competent, and confidence tends to come naturally after that.

Image of Rob Self

Rob Self

University of Michigan, BS Mechanical Engineering, 2015 

University of Michigan, MS Mechanical Engineering, 2016 

Harvard Business School, MBA Candidate, 2021

Ford Automotive Company

Performance Vehicle Dynamics Engineer

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Career Summary

I enjoyed interning and co-oping at several automotive companies while at the University of Michigan. The networking opportunities thought the U of M engineering program are vast and powerful and helped me secure internships at Ford, BMW Manufacturing (Spartanburg, South Carolina), BMW M (Munich, Germany), Tesla Motors (Palo Alto, California), and ultimately my dream job in Ford Performance Vehicle Dynamics working on the Shelby Mustang GT350 and GT500. Though this experience I leveraged both my undergraduate ME degree and Master’s degree in ME to solve complex technical problems and drive solutions through implementation. However, most importantly, the teamwork skills acquired through extensive project courses and labs at U of M set me up to be a leader on every team I have been a part of. Leadership and teamwork skills have been the foundation to my success in my career and U of M helped me significantly in developing these skills.

How does your Master’s degree differentiate you from others?

A Master’s degree is a sign of one’s commitment, expertise, and rigorous understanding of a particular field. In my case, it has lead to improved promotion opportunities at work and has also served as a foundation for deep technical skill which has helped me excel in projects. I particularly I enjoyed the SGUS program as it condensed my Master’s degree and further benefited from the opportunity to develop my teaching skills as a Graduate Student Instructor.

Reflection on Time Spent at U-M

I enjoyed all of the Thermodynamics courses, especially the 4xx and 5xx courses taught by Professor Bourgnakke. The ability to go deep on technical subjects was quite enjoyable while at school.

Advice to Students

In regards to earning a Master’s degree overall, be sure that you have thought through your motivations. It’s important to understand what the degree will help you achieve and ensure that this aligns with your career goals of technical specialization. A Master’s degree is a time and financial commitment which can benefit you in many ways, just be sure you understand your career trajectory and how you are looking to supplement your path.

Image of Rui Fang

Rui Fang

Technical University of Munich, B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering and Management, 2011 

University of Michigan, MSE Mechanical Engineering, 2012

BMW Group

Computer Engineering Team Leader

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Career Summary

After graduating from the University of Michigan, I returned to the Technical University of Munich to work there as a scientist for about 5 years. Afterwards, I have been working at the BMW Group, first as a trainee in a young professionals program, and later as a CE team leader for the development of fuel supply systems for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. The job rotations during my trainee assignment and the high degree of responsibility and interdisciplinarity in my current position have helped me grow and learn important professional skills in a competitive and volatile environment.

How does your Master’s degree differentiate you from others?

Only few Germans have had the chance to complete an entire study program (including a Master’s degree) in the U.S., so I am very happy to have had this opportunity. Even in Germany, many people know about the good reputation of the University of Michigan, so I’m very proud to have been there for my graduate studies. Also, having spent a year in the U.S. has been a very unique and valuable personal experience for me.

Advice for Students

I would encourage other students to participate in campus life (events, student groups, volunteering positions etc.) as much as possible. I myself did not take advantage of these opportunities to the fullest extent, and that is the only thing I regret about my graduate studies. Also, make sure to join at least one football game by the Wolverines!

Mechanical engineering research

Industries & Occupations

Mechanical engineering research
  • Aerospace industry
  • Automobile Industry
  • Agricultural, Mining, and Construction Industries
  • Business Management
  • Consulting
  • Energy industry
  • Hydraulics
  • Machine Tools
  • Manufacturing
  • Medical/Biomechanics
  • Plant Management
  • Product Design/Management
  • Public Administration/Government/Patent Law
  • Robotics
  • Scientific Research
Mechanical Engineering research

Companies

Mechanical Engineering research
  • Department of Energy
  • Ford Motor Company
  • GE Aviation
  • Apple
  • Google
  • Lockheed Martin
  • NASA
  • Walt Disney
  • Illumina
  • Boston Scientific
  • John Deere
Art installation at the new GG Brown Mechanical Engineering building 2019
Student in the new GGBrown Mechanical Engineering building

Salaries

Discover the value of a master’s degree!

On average, U-M graduates with a master’s degree in an engineering field can earn 15-25% more than those with a bachelor’s degree in engineering.  Use the links below to research average salaries based on a U-M engineering master’s degree, experience level, and desired work location.